Heartfelt
by White Fire Alchemist
Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the Orbit. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? ooc SanjixOC pretty please read and review...flames welcome.
1. Last Day on the Orbit

Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the _Orbit_. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: I own only Kataluna

Chapter One: Last Day on the Orbit

"Kataluna, get that order to table thirteen!"

"Yes, sir," replied Kataluna, balancing two plates in her left hand, three in her right, and a tray of drinks on her head.

She scooted past Sanji, a small blond boy who was busy scraping leftovers into a trash barrel, arguing with the cooks over wasted food.

"You guys are eating off someone else's plate like dogs!" he muttered.

"Sea cooks never wasted food," they chided.

Kataluna giggled; even though Sanji was just as young as she was, only a year older, he always found an excuse to argue with the higher ups.

Kataluna entered the main dining area and made her way through the mass of round tables. Each one was covered in a simple white tablecloth and boasted a bright blue candle in the center.

The young girl found Table Thirteen and placed all five meals in front of the customers without spilling a drop. She gave each his or her drink as well.

Holding the tray that held thee drinks under her arm she asked, "Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you," replied an elderly man, speaking for the group.

Another man, younger than the first by a considerable margin leaned forward curiously.

"Just how old are you young miss?" he asked politely.

"Eight years old," she proclaimed proudly. "But I'll be nine next Thursday!"

"My, my," exclaimed an elegantly dressed woman. "So young and yet still charming. And working on the _Orbit_ no less!"

"Thank you, ma'am," Kataluna said with a slight curtsy. She made her way back to the kitchen, asking those on the way if everything was satisfactory.

She was in the middle of picking up a champagne glass from a vacated table when she glanced out the large window and screamed, shattering the glass when she dropped it.

"Red Shoes Zeff's pirate ship!" she cried out, pointing a finger out the window to a large ship bearing the Jolly Roger.

The customers glanced up at her outburst and dashed to the window to see what she was screaming about. When they verified that pirates were at the restaurant, they panicked and ran to the back of the room.

Meanwhile, Sanji had heard Kataluna's terrified scream and ran to her rescue. He hugged the shaking girl and turned her face away from the frightening sight.

Kataluna threw her arms around Sanji's neck and shut her eyes tightly. The last thing she could remember was the feeling of Sanji's heart beat wildly in his chest with fear before everything went black.

When she opened her eyes, Kataluna saw that the sun had set. The beautiful chandeliers adorning the dining area illuminated the _Orbit_.

Sitting up carefully, she scanned the faces, seeing only the cooks. They must have already brought the passengers back to the port.

She was relieved to see that most of her friends weren't too badly injured. However, there was one person that she couldn't seem to find.

"Where's Sanji?" she asked in a small voice.

When no one answered her, she asked again, a little louder.

"Where's Sanji?"

The cooks looked at her miserably and the captain walked to her.

Kataluna," he began, draping an arm over her shoulder gently. "He went overboard with Captain Zeff. He's gone."

Kataluna froze, aware that her captain was still speaking, but not hearing anything else he said.

She broke away from him and ran to the deck, seeing the broken railing where he must have gone over. She stopped in her tracks, seeing the broken pile of wood.

Feeling a hard lump rise in her throat, Kataluna let the tears fall. She sobbed loudly to the ocean, the waters that had taken away her best friend.

"Sanji," she whispered into the wind before she collapsed, crying wildly as the cooks could do nothing but watch in despair.


	2. A New Woman

Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the Orbit. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but my dream-self pwns Sanji!

Chapter 2: A New Woman

9 Years Later

Kataluna sat in the quarters she had secured for herself on Don Krieg's flagship. She had joined his pirate crew four years ago, trying to find an escape in her life. Don had accepted her offer cautiously, for no female in her right mind would request to be a part of his bloodthirsty crew.

However, Kataluna was not in her right mind and hadn't been since Sanji left hr life. So she left the _Orbit_. She began as a cabin girl, proving her worth as a pirate over time and gradually moved up through the ranks.

Over the years, she had matured into a strong young woman. At eighteen years old, she was able to take on the "Demon man" battle commander, Gin. She didn't always win, but she was usually able to hold her own.

In the eyes of her captain, she was perfect. The only ounce of affection in Don's body was reserved for Kataluna and he treated her like his daughter.

She lived a good life on the grand galleon; her own private suite, a bathroom furnished with gold, and a cabin boy, Brace.

In the past week, however, her crew's fortunes turned for the worse when Don had decided to take on the Grand Line. Needless to say, they failed.

Now, the crew was beaten and starving. The fifty-ship fleet was destroyed and the flagship was nothing more than a floating wreck. Kataluna was able to keep her strength up with a hidden stash of food she shared only with Brace.

Now, they were anchored at the _Baratie_, an ocean going restaurant famous for it's fighting cooks. Gin had been there and spoke of a cook who gave him food when no on e else would.

"Kataluna?" asked Brace, a boy of sixteen. His blue-black hair fell into his eyes and brushed his shoulders. He nudged Kataluna with a powerfully built arm gently to grab her attention.

"Hm?" murmured the slender brunette. Over time, her wavy hair had grown, falling in sleek tendrils to her waist in a cascading waterfall. Her turquoise blue eyes opened slowly at the sound of Brace's deep voice. "Yes, Brace?"

"Admiral Kreig wants you to join him on the _Baratie's _deck. He said he has something he wants to show you."

Kataluna stood, grabbing her silver pistol from its mount on the wall and tucked it into her belt. A dagger was hidden in her corset, which held her loose creme shirt in place. A thin metal rod with poison at its core held up half of her hair. Strapped to her right thigh under her flowing black skirt was another dagger identical to the first.

With a jerk of her head, Kataluna motioned for Brace to follow her to the _Baratie_, where Don had requested her presence.

A/N Sorry it's so short, but I have a bit of writer's block!


	3. A Tearful Realization

-1Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the _Orbit_. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Chapter 3: A Tearful Realization

Kataluna stepped out into the harsh sunlight on the deck of the tall flagship. She looked down at the Baratie and saw a shining mass that was Don Kreig's armor.

"Captain?" she called out. She leaned lazily against the railing, letting her boredom show. She knew they were commandeering a ship the restaurant down there and she wanted in on the action. "You wanted me?"

"Get down here."

That was all the invitation she needed. Not particularly interested in taking the long route, Kataluna pulled herself up and onto the railing. She balanced easily, and looked over her shoulder.

"Coming?" she asked Brace with a smirk.

"Not that way I'm not," he replied, taking a look over the edge of the ship. It was a long way down and he didn't fancy jumping off a ship when he could take a safe, dry path. "See you at the bottom."

"Chicken," she taunted before launching herself off the ship.

The wind whipped by her and her hair streamed along. She was forced to close her eyes as they began to water. Drawing her arms over her head, she executed a perfect swan dive.

The water churned where she went down, leaving nothing but foam. Without much effort, she surfaced, taking in a much air as she could.

Kataluna pushed her hair from her eyes and squinted up at Brace who merely chuckled before turning and walking out of her sight. He was taking the long way. Coward.

Swimming to the Baratie's deck, Kataluna put her hands on the fin, preparing to pull herself up. Before, she could, however, she felt a pair of strong hands grab her under her arms and pull her dripping form from the ocean.

"Always have to do things the hard way, don't you?" asked Gin, setting her down on the wooden deck.

"Hard?" she demanded. "I always thought jumping was the easy way out!"

"Ha ha, very funny," Gin replied sarcastically.

"I know," Kataluna said, laughing as she made her way to Don. "I'm just a barrel full of laughs, aren't I?"

"Kitten," Don said, throwing an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to his body. He missed the look of disgust she gave him.

"I know you've been itching to do something exciting, so here you go."

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, pushing him away from her slightly.

"You wanted to kill, now here's your chance to have some fun," he said to her. "Take whoever you want, but start with that whelp."

Kataluna looked to the man he was pointing at. He was tall, blond, and well dressed. His looks weren't that bad either. A small trickle of blood was leaking from a cut on his forehead, but he ignored it, lighting up a cigarette instead.

Kataluna's body tensed. She knew him from somewhere. The thought made her uneasy, but she brushed it aside. It was time for the games to begin.

"I refuse to fight you," the man said, blowing out a ring of smoke. "It wouldn't be fair."

"Tell me about fair after I beat the shit out of you," Kataluna shot back. She pulled the gun from her belt and aimed it at his head. "I may be a girl, but I'm no pushover."

She aimed a punch at him but he sidestepped it easily. Frustrated, she moved to punch him again, hitting him squarely in the nose this time.

Blood was spurting everywhere as she continued to attack the unwilling man. However, no matter how many times Kataluna hit the cook, he refused to fight back.

"Come on already," she yelled to him in anger. "Give me a real fight already! Don't just take it. Do something!"

"I don't hit women," he said simply. "Even if it means death, I won't lay a finger on you."

With a growl, Kataluna launched herself at his waist and tackled him to the deck with brute force. He fell heavily and let out a groan as she sat up easily, straddling his hips and pressing her legs firmly around his waist to keep him on the deck. Kataluna grabbed the rod in her hair and yanked it out viciously. She held it above his face, ready to plunge it in as far as it would go before she would press the release button that would send the poison flowing though the wound.

"Sanji," yelled one of the cooks. "Don't give in to the likes of her!"

Kataluna stopped herself mid-swing. That name. Where had she heard it before?

"Shut up, Patty, you crap-cook," muttered the man, closing his eyes. When he didn't feel the agonizing pain of a metal rod being drilled through his forehead, he opened one eye.

Kataluna was staring at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Wha--?"

"Kat! What are you doing? Kill him!" shouted Don.

But Kataluna didn't hear him. It had finally fallen into place in her head. She dropped the rod and threw her arms around Sanji's neck.

Sanji, shocked at how quickly she had decided not to kill him, sat up with some difficulty, as she was still straddling him.

"Am I supposed to know you?" he asked, although he didn't really mind a beautiful girl clinging to him like this, even if she was about to kill him.

"I found you," she sobbed into his blue shirt. "I finally found you!"


	4. No Longer a Part of the Crew

Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the _Orbit_. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: One Piece not mine

Chapter 4: No Longer a Part of the Crew

"You found me?" Sanji repeated with a confused expression. He held his arms out, unsure of whether or not he should console the sobbing pirate or just push her away.

"Kataluna," Don Krieg barked angrily. "I don't see a dead cook. What do you think you're doing?"

Something in Sanji's head clicked. Kataluna….the name seemed so familiar and friendly. He knew it.

Flashes of memories he had forgotten came back to him in a flood. A young girl with short brown hair and shining turquoise eyes smiling as she washed dishes…the same girl crying when she dropped a whole order of food on the floor…holding her as the pirates attacked the _Orbit_.

"Kataluna?" he asked hesitantly. "Is it really you?"

"Of course it is, you dumbass," Kataluna said, pushing Sanji backwards. "Who else would it be? I mean, how many Kataluna's do you actually know?"

"Enough of the chitchat, Kat," Gin murmured. "Do as the Captain says and kill them."

Kataluna's eyes never left Sanji's face as she shook her head. She remained in Sanji's lap, her legs refusing to cooperate with her.

"Kat?" Don Krieg asked menacingly. "You dare to defy me after all I've done for you?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But not this man; I can't kill this one."

Don Kreig's attitude changed then. If she wouldn't follow his commands, then she couldn't be his pirate anymore. He made his decision and turned to Gin.

"Dispose of them both," he ordered coldly. "That girl is no longer a part of my crew."

Gin stared in disbelief at his captain. Here was the man who gave Kataluna everything her heart had desired and he had just ordered her to be killed without a second thought.

"C-captain?" he stuttered, not sure if had heard correctly.

"Kill them," Don Krieg snarled.

Gin felt his body grow cold at the frigid reply. He faced Kataluna who had just regained control over her legs. He watched as she stood and held Sanji tightly as he too rose to his feet.

"Forgive me, Kat," he said. He charged toward the reunited pair and held his cannonball-tipped tonfas high. He swung them toward Kataluna with great force and hit her in the back. Both Kataluna and Sanji sailed through the air and hit the wall of the _Baratie_ with a crash.

"Kat!" Brace shouted. He looked at Gin with fury in his eyes and drew a pistol from his belt. He aimed it at Gin and pulled back on the trigger.

"You bastard," he spat at Gin. "No one attacks Kat and gets away with it."

Gin fell to his knees, a bright red stain growing through his shirt over his chest. He dropped the tonfas with a loud clunk onto the wooden deck and slumped to the side.

"Gin!" Don Krieg shouted. "Brace, you will meet the same fate as the girl and the whelp. I would have spared you, but you have just made a very grave mistake."

Kataluna gasped when she had hit the wall, the breath knocked from her lungs. She was being pulled gently to her feet when she heard the gunshot. Filled with horror, she watched Gin fall in slow motion.

"Hey, Don Krieg!" shouted a boy she hadn't noticed before. He was standing on a floating section of deck that had been broken off from the main part of the restaurant. "Don't forget about me!"

Before Don Krieg could turn around, the boy had launched an attack like Kataluna had never seen before.

"Gum Gum Bazooka," he shouted stretching his arms far behind him and thrusting them forward toward Don Krieg. His arms stretched to an inhuman length in order to reach the pirate and Don Krieg was forced backwards and into the wall Kataluna and Sanji had crashed into. The force of the attack had put him straight through the wall, however, and dust flew up in a great cloud.

"Don Krieg," Kataluna whispered. Although she hated him, she still felt a surge of emotion through her body as she watched her captain fall.

"Don Krieg," she heard Gin moan. "We can't win today; we are too weak from the Grand Line. Let's retreat for now."

Gin was limping toward the clearing cloud while he spoke. He clutched his chest, the red stain gleaming in the sunlight. He reached into the wreckage of the wall and pulled Don Don Krieg out, tossing the unconscious man over his shoulder.

He walked back to the _Dreadnought_ _Saber_, glancing over her shoulder apologetically at Kataluna.

"We're enemies now," he informed her. "If we cross paths again, I will have to kill you."

Kataluna didn't say anything, but nodded instead as she watched Gin leave.

"Wait," Sanji called after Gin. "Your ship's in ruins. Take our supply boat instead."

"Sanji, are you crazy?!?" yelled one of the cooks. "Why should we give our supply boat to a bunch of pirates who tried to kill us and take our restaurant?"

"Just get the damn boat," Sanji replied angrily. "Don't make me ask again."

"Alright, alright," the cook said. "Damned bastard…always ordering us around."

Within minutes, the supply boat was readied and the lot of Don Krieg's pirate armada was piled into the boat.

"Thank you, Sanji," Gin said. "Can we keep the boat?"

"Try to return it, and you may lose your life," Sanji warned. "The fighting cooks will have your head if you ever show your face here again."

Gin laughed and waved as the boat set sail for the crew's destination.

Kataluna waved to Gin once before dropping her hand. She had almost forgotten that they were enemies now. The next time they met, someone would die.

Brace stood by her side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The boy who had sent Don Krieg flying into a wall was grinning stupidly at the whole situation and asked for some food before collapsing on the deck. A closer inspection revealed that he had simply fallen asleep.

He was carried inside by one of the cooks and Sanji turned to Kataluna for the first time since they had met again.

"I think we have some catching up to do."

A/N: I know, I know…it kinda sucks and didn't follow the real way Don Krieg was defeated, but you know what? My story, my vision….details will be changed to fit the way I picture things and if you don't like that, then don't read this anymore…the only thing I'm asking for is reviews….I love them, rants or raves.


	5. Stories to be Told

-1Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the _Orbit_. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: I still don't own One Piece, but I'll work on negotiating the rights eventually…

Chapter 5: Stories to be Told

"I can't believe that after all this time, you're really alive," Kataluna barely whispered. She was sitting inside the Orbit at a table covered in a crisp white linen. "Last I heard, you had been sent over the edge of the Orbit with Red Shoes."

"I did," Sanji replied while setting a bowl of hot stew in front of Kat. "We were washed up on this rock with little food. Zeff gave me all the food and he ate his own foot. After we were rescued, he wanted to make an oceangoing restaurant. I owed him my life, so I joined up with him and I've been here ever since."

Kataluna nodded as she listened, giving an appreciative smile as he poured her a glass of wine.

"But what about you? How did you ever become a pirate?" Sanji asked, topping off his own glass and sitting down opposite Kat. He dug into a basket of bread fresh from the ovens and tore it in half, buttering one side swiftly.

Kataluna, who had been about to sample the stew paused, the spoon halfway to her mouth. Thoughtfully, she lowered it back into the bowl again and recounted her own tale.

"After you disappeared, my life had begun a sort of downward spiral. I was lost without you. My attitude didn't really improve and customers started to complain. By my thirteenth birthday, I had already left. After about a year, I found Don Krieg in the slums of some town I can't even remember the name of. He was out looking for new crew members, and I was eager to sign up."

Sanji had abandoned his bread and it lay forgotten on the table as Kataluna continued.

"He didn't really want me around, you know how it is…why would a fourteen year old girl want to be a bloodthirsty pirate? It wasn't exactly natural. He gave me a simple test that night: I had to kill a man. And I did it. From that day on, I was a member of the most notorious pirate crew in the East Blue."

"He made you kill someone just so you could join up with him?" Sanji asked disgustedly. "That was really sick."

Kataluna nodded in agreement. She played with her spoon, stirring it through the stew slowly.

"After that, I worked my way up through the ranks. I pillaged and plundered and rifled and looted. Then I drank up me hearty, yoho," she said with a soft laugh. "They taught me how to fight properly and I was able to defeat most of the crew by the end of two years of hard training. I was offered the best of the best. Don Krieg treated me like gold, and I accepted it without a question. And now, here I am, sitting with you, spilling my whole life story for you."

"I get it hasn't bee the easiest life for you, huh?" Sanji asked quietly, staring at Kataluna carefully, watching her emotions flash through her eyes.

"No," she replied. "Especially when the crew had first thought that Don had brought them a playmate, not a crewmate. I wish I could say that at first I had taught them I wasn't a toy they could play with. But let's face it: I was just a kid and hey were a bunch of drunk horny men. Luckily, Gin was sober enough t put an end to my harassment. That's kind of how we ended up being friends. He looked out for me and taught me everything he knew. I could only trust him and Brace."

"On the subject of Brace," Sanji interrupted, picking up the bread again. "Who is he?"

"He's my cabin boy officially, but it's more like he's my friend. I guess you can say that he was a 'present' for me, but I never treated him the way I treated the rest of the crew."

Just then, Brace himself burst through the door, rubbing his ear nonchalantly as if it were buzzing just a moment ago.

"Hey, Kat," he greeted, nodding to Sanji as well. "That funny kid with the gum gm whatever attack is really weird. All those injuries and he just complains that he wants to sleep and to leave him alone. It's like he doesn't even feel any pain."

Kataluna smiled and dipped into her stew at last, content t be with two friends, finally relaxed and at peace after nine long years.

A/N: So sorry about such a long wait for an update I've been having loads of family problems and work's been getting in the way along with trying to get dorm shopping done. To top it all off, my computer has been fritzy so I had to wait until my laptop came in so I could finally get this chapter up! Thanks for being patient!


	6. Go Live Your Dream

Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the _Orbit_. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece

Chapter 6: Go Live Your Dream

A few days had gone by with very little excitement. The damaged fin on _The Baratie_ was repaired and the hole in the ceiling that was made even before Don Krieg had attacked was patched up. The injuries sustained form the battle was tended to by Kataluna mostly, much to the displeasure of several cooks.

"Yeow!" screamed Patty. He tried to jerk his arm away from Kataluna, but she only tightened her grip on the bruised arm, causing the thrashing cook more pain. "I don't need no first aid! I'm better! I heal fast!"

"Stop your bitching and moaning, Patty," she warned lightly, carefully dabbing a foul smelling liquid on a particularly nasty gash on his arm. "And stop pulling these stitches! I'm not a professional doctor, but I did the best I can to patch you up. Keep this up and you'll lose this arm from infection. Kinda hard to cook with only one arm, isn't it?"

Patty paused to consider what she said and squeezed his eyes shut as she began to fix his wound once more. When she finished, she patted him on the shoulder and stood, stretching her arms over her head.

The rubber boy, Luffy had woken up and was happily eating something Sanji had just whipped up from the kitchen. He was telling the tall blond cook and Brace about his dream to become King of the Pirates and something about a promise over a straw hat.

She wandered over to where they were sitting on the floor and listened to the conversation.

"And one day, I'll find the All Blue," Sanji said. "It's any cook's ultimate dream. Just imagine it: fish from every ocean in the world in one body of water."

"Wow!" Luffy exclaimed. "Just think of all the food you could cook with that fish! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!"

"Hey boys," Kat said, taking a seat. "What's going on?"

"I'm just talking with my new cook about---"

"I already told you" Sanji said tersely. "I'm not joining your crew. I'm staying with the old geezer; I owe him that much. But I don't know why they're making me sit n the floor."

"Don't worry about it," Kat said with a shrug. She leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes for a moment before she heard a bellow.

"Who made this stew?" Patty demanded from all the cooks. He held a bowl high in the air and scanned the room.

"I did," Sanji announced. "It's better than usual today."

"Still tastes like crap to me!" Patty replied with a nasty sneer. He turned the bowl over and let the contents spill to the floor, splashing potatoes onto his shoes and over the carpet. "It's disgusting!"

"Do you have a death wish, you crap-cook?" Sanji asked dangerously, rising to his full height.

"He's right, Sanji," called out Carne. "This is inedible."

He followed Patty's example and dumped the stew onto the floor. Sanji's visible eye narrowed as his emotions melted from anger to rage.

"We're going to have two new openings on this ship if you keep it up," he threatened murderously.

One by one, each cook stood from his chair and showed their disdain for the stew by dumping it and sending crude comments Sanji's way.

Brace immediately flew to his feet to hold Sanji back, his muscles straining with effort. Kat had scrambled up too, standing in front of Sanji, pushing his chest, trying to force him backwards.

She heard a crash and the distinct tinkling of broken glass and she, Brace, and Sanji turned their heads.

Zeff was standing in the doorway, a broken bowl at his peg leg. "Sanji, we can't serve this kind of food to the customers. You've lost your touch. Get off of my restaurant."

"Have you lost your mind you old crap-geezer?" Sanji roared. "That soup was better than anything you could have made and you know it."

In a flash, Sanji was on the floor, Zeff standing over him with a tight fist.

"How dare you compare your cooking to mine," he said darkly. "You're still a baby eggplant and you understand nothing. Get out."

Sanji stood and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him with enough force to rattle the glass in the pane. Kat watched him quietly and turned to Brace curiously.

"Did you try the stew?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah," he replied. "It was the best damned thing I've eaten so far today."

There was a great sigh from all the chefs as they sat down at their tables again.

"That was hard."

"Yeah, I didn't want to dump that."

"Pass me more stew."

"I hope he's not too mad."

Kat's eyes widened. It was all a trick. They loved his food, but had told him the opposite. But why?

"Zeff?" she asked quietly. "Why?"

"Because he can't stay here anymore," Zeff replied gruffly. "He's gotta get out there and live his dream. He can't do that if he stays here forever."

Kataluna nodded slowly. He was right. Sanji needed to leave the _Baratie_ and he wouldn't do it on his own. This was the only way.


	7. Don't Leave Me

Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the _Orbit_. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: Do I own One Piece you ask? Why, no…no I don't!

Chapter 7: Don't Leave Me

The rest of the night had passed by uneventfully. Sanji had disappeared into his quarters and hadn't emerged until late. Kataluna watched him as he wandered though the hallways and down the stairs, into the dining room. He took a seat at the table and lit up a cigarette, flicking the ashes into a small silver tray. He watched the smoke trail to the ceiling and he leaned his head back slowly.

"Shit," he muttered.

"Mind if I join you?" Kat asked from the doorway. He nodded to her and she wandered over to the table, sitting across from him. She reached for one of his cigarettes and lit it up, the glow lighting her features for a brief moment before she blew out the match and threw it in the tray. Reaching into a bag, she took out an item and tossed it to Sanji, who caught it easily.

"Belli for your thoughts?" she asked as he rolled the money in his hand.

"I can't leave."

"Yes, you can. Zeff wants you to. He wants you to go with Luffy."

"I owe him too---"

"To hell with that!" Kat shouted, banging the table with her fist. "You've given him 9 years of your life. Isn't that enough? What more do you think he is expecting?"

Sanji stared at her, mulling over her words. Why _was_ he still here? What was he waiting for? He couldn't think of anything.

Kataluna watched him carefully, playing with the cigarette as she waited.

"Nothing," Sanji said simply. "He just wants me to go."

"So listen to him," Kat pressed. "Let the past go."

In the morning, Luffy was exclaiming happily about the little boat that Sanji was allowing him to take so he could reach the rest of the Straw Hats. It was nothing more than a little dingy, but it would do the trick.

Sanji walked into the sunlight amid the cooks who had come to see Luffy off. He held a pack over his shoulder and took even steps toward the over excited teenager. He could feel the eyes of everyone on his back, but he ignored them with the cool grace he was accustomed to.

"Do you still need a cook?" he asked Luffy in the quiet silence.

"You bet!" Luffy replied with a wide grin.

Kataluna smiled, pleased with his decision to leave and start his own journey. However, a part of her was upset to see him leave again.

Brace threw an arm around her shoulders happily, jostling her playfully as he laughed.

"Looks like you talked some sense into him, Kat," he told her.

Yeah," she whispered.

"Sanji!" shouted Patty and Carne together. "We're gonna pay you back for all these years!"

They ran at the blond, brandishing large knives, shouting like savages. However, with a single kick, Sanji sent them reeling backwards and they crumpled in a heap.

"Poor bastards."

"They never stood a chance against Sanji, did they?"

"Nope."

"They had it coming."

As the cooks muttered their amusement and laughed about the situation, Sanji's eyes found Kataluna's and held them. She tried to smile for him, but could already feel the tears threatening to run from her eyes. She couldn't lose him again; not after finding him so many years later!

Kataluna ran from Brace, shoving through the laughing cooks, trying to get to Sanji before he left her again. Sanji threw his sack to the ground and held his arms open for her as she sailed into him, sending both of them to the deck.

He sat up, gentle cradling her in his arms as she sobbed into his black jacket. The world around them blurred and Sanji just rocked her softly.

"What's wrong?" he asked her with concern. "What is it?"

"I don't want to lose you again," Kataluna whispered. "Please don't leave me! I only just found you."

"Then come with me," he implored. "Come with me to join the Straw Hats."

"Become a pirate? Again?"

"Yeah."

"Can I?"

"Of course."

Luffy's voice cut through their moment as he leaped on top of Sanji and Kataluna.

"Alright!" he cheered. "Two new crew members in one day!"

"Better make it three," Brace called out with a smile. "Captain."

"Yeah!" Luffy cheered as he tackled Brace joyfully. "Let's go!"

Kataluna and Sanji stood and he wiped her tears gently, smiling. Kataluna smiled right back and waved to the cooks, saying a final farewell before she boarded the small boat with the three men and they sailed to the horizon, heralded by the cheers of the fighting cooks of the east blue.

A/N: Yes, I gave Kataluna a weak moment. But hey, you'd be sad too if your best friend who was gone for 9 years was leaving after you JUST found him too. Anyways…you guys are lucky I'm updating so much today, College is really time consuming and all that jazz. Hopefully I can update faster next month.


	8. Just For Now

Summary: It had been nine long years. They used to work together on the _Orbit_. Then he was washed overboard. What will happen now that she discovers the boy she thought was dead is very much alive? SanjixOC

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece

Chapter 8: Just For Now

The day wore on and Sanji's little boat sailed onward, leaving _The Baratie_ far behind. Sanji shook his head lightly, pushing back the memories of the restaurant, knowing that he couldn't think about it just now. Instead, he turned to Luffy, his new captain.

"Where exactly are we going right now?" he asked. "Are we meeting up with the others?"

"Yup," Luffy replied. "They sailed this way, so we will too. Well catch up to the Merry Go sooner or later."

"Others?" Kataluna repeated. "How many others? Is your crew anywhere near the size of Don Krieg's?"

"Not really," Luffy admitted. "How many people were in your crew again?"

Brace piped up to answer this question, bored with just sitting around, waiting for something to happen after the excitement of the past few days.

"Before we went to the Grand Line, we had about a thousand or so pirates in our fleet. Once we were in the Grand Line, however, there was a strange guy with eyes shaped like a hawk's. I think his name was Mihawk something-or-other. Well, anyways, he took out most of our ships and left the flagship in pretty critical condition. I'm pretty shocked that we even made it back to the East Blue. We were down to somewhere around a hundred by that point; everyone else died."

"So in other words," Kataluna interjected. "Your crew had better be really strong if you're seriously considering taking on the Grand Line. The stories about it aren't exaggerated; it's really dangerous there."

"I think our crew would be able to handle it," Luffy replied carelessly. "But first, we need to get our navigator back."

"What happened to the navigator?" Brace asked curiously.

"That was Nami, right?" Sanji asked, perking up slightly. "Didn't she take off with your ship and all your treasure?"

"Yup, that's the one!" Luffy confirmed.

"We're trying to catch up and re-recruit someone who stole your ship?" Kataluna asked in disbelief. She shook her head and exchanged a knowing glance with Brace. "That's just weird. You should kill her, not ask her to come back with all forgiven."

"I can't have her killed just because she did something stupid," Luffy replied darkly. "She's my navigator and she's coming with us to the Grand Line. I don't want anyone else, and I don't kill because of little things like stealing a ship."

"I think we've been with Don Krieg a little too long, Kat," Brace muttered. "All we ever have is murder on the mind. I'm guessing Luffy doesn't share the same views."

"No more killing?" Kataluna asked warily. "I'm a pirate and killing is in my blood. I've been doing it for years. You don't really expect me to just quit cold turkey, right?"

"I didn't say you can't kill anymore," Luffy informed. "Just don't kill my navigator or anyone else in the crew. Same goes for people who don't deserve it."

"He's gonna break your habit for you, Kat," Brace laughed. "Try not to look too disappointed."

"I've never been told to not kill someone before," Kataluna admitted. "I'm just not used to the idea yet."

"Take it easy, Kataluna," Sanji said, lighting up another cigarette. "You've got a new captain now; you don't have to be ruthless anymore."

Kataluna gazed out into the sea. The crystal blue waters reflected the dying rays of sunlight on its gentle waves. The fish beneath the surface darted back and forth, speeding around coral and away from predators. The sky was painted a burning red and soothing purple, the sun fading away into the west.

She gave a single nod, contemplating and accepting her new role in the world.

"You never told me how many other people were in this crew," she said suddenly, snapping out of her reverie. "Is it thirty? Forty? Fifty people strong?"

"Let's see," Luffy said, holding out his hands and counting on his fingers. He rolled his eyes up to the sky in concentration and ticked off the members mentally. "With the three of you on the crew too, that brings our total up to six and once we get our navigator back, we'll have seven people."

Kataluna and Brace stared at their captain, shocked expressions spread across their faces.

"Seven?!?" they demanded together.

"Do you really think you have enough people, Captain?" Brace asked sternly.

"Think about what you're getting yourself into!" Kataluna commanded. She and Brace went into a flurry of arguments against Luffy, speaking so quickly that Luffy could hardly keep up.

"We'll die in a matter of seconds!"

"Don went in with a thousand and came out with a hundred!"

"This is madness!"

"We're recruiting more people first, right?"

"Just think of the consequences of going in with only seven people."

"Are you insane?"

"Whoa," Sanji muttered, grabbing at his head and shaking it slightly. "That is too much for even me to take in at once."

Before Brace or Kataluna could further voice their opinions on the stupidity of Luffy's plan, the captain stretched his arms across the deck and clapped a hand over their mouths firmly.

"We're getting my navigator back, and then we set sail for the Grand Line to find One Piece," he said simply. "So there."

Kataluna slapped her forehead with an open hand in exasperation and sighed heavily. She had left one crazy captain and signed on with another appeared. They were all going to die.

Brace sat down on the deck with a thump and lay on his back, arms stretched out to either side as he stared at the passing clouds. Sanji continued to smoke his cigarette, taking everything in slowly and sorting through the information carefully. Luffy did nothing, gazing at the sea in the direction where he would meet up with the rest of the small crew.

Kataluna could do nothing more than accept it all. She took a deep breath and held it for some time before expelling the air gently. For now, she would have to deal with her new captain. For now she would have to adjust to her new life. For now, she would have to learn to start anew, and let the past heal. For now at least.

A/N: Wow that was a long time without updating... my bad. Just review and I promise to update faster next time!!! I want at least 3 new reviews this time around, okay? Do that for me and I will give you a new chapter. Flames count as reviews too!!

WFA


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